NAN reports that the 91 Shiites who were arraigned on Tuesday, May 3, were among the 266 sect members arrested during the Shiite/Army clash between Dec. 12 and Dec 14, 2015 in Zaria. This is in addition to 50 members of the sect who were arraigned on similar charges on April 21.
About 256 of other Shiites arrested by the army are facing charges that attract death sentence, while 10 others are facing other charges in different courts in the state. Members of the group were arraigned on a five-count charge for criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, disturbance of public peace and wrongful restrain.
They were charged under to Sections 97, 102, 106, 221 and 256 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State as stated in court by the Dari Bayero, who led the prosecution. Following the absence of some of the accused in court the prosecution counsel applied for a bench warrant against those absent.
However, Festus Okoye, who led the defence team said the prosecution had not served any of the accused persons with the charge since the case was filed on March 22, 2016. The defence counsel requested the court to order the prosecution to serve the accused persons that were not in court and their sureties. After listening to the submissions, the Judge issued a bench warrant against the 57th accused person. Justice Hajara Gwadah then adjourned the case to June 1, 2016 for arraignment.
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